Flu Symptoms 10 Natural Home Remedies For Fast Relief

Before You Head To The Doctor Try These Home Remedies For Flu Symptoms.

When the flu season hits people want comfort and relief. While many over-the-counter and prescription drugs have harmful side effects, people often look to home remedies for healthy alternatives. Whether you are suffering from severe or mild symptoms, check these 10 Home Remedies for Flu Symptoms for fast natural healing.

Common Flu

The flu, a commonly known term of “Influenza”, is a contagious respiratory illness caused by three virus types (A, B and C). When this virus gets into your respiratory tract, it attaches to the cell surface and takes command over your cell functions. The virus then creates copies and advances into the membrane of the cell until the cell is finally killed. The same process repeats as the virus keeps on assaulting and infecting other cells. An infected person can distribute the virus through the air from sneezes or coughs from short distances. It can also be distributed if you happen to touch a contaminated surface and then touch your eyes or mouth.

Signs of the Flu

While the signs of flu or influenza range from mild to severe, some of the common symptoms consist of high fever, coughing, sore throat, headache, runny nose, body aches, tiredness, and headache. You will usually start experiencing these flu symptoms two days after being exposed to the virus. While most symptoms may last less than a week, the cough may take more than even two weeks. Vomiting and nausea are also common in children but not as common in adults.

While the flu and cold may share common symptoms, they are caused by different viruses and bacteria. The cold symptoms are usually milder than the flu and are less prone to complications. However, the flu may lead to serious complications such as sinus infections, viral pneumonia, secondary bacterial pneumonia and aggravating past health difficulties like heart failure or asthma.

The followings are 10 common Natural Home Remedies for Flu Symptoms

Stay Hydrated

While having the flu you may lose a significant amount of body fluids, leaving you dehydrated. Signs of dehydration include dark urine, dry mouth, and headaches. It is crucial to consume enough fluids such as water, herbal teas, fruit juices, oral rehydration solutions (ORS), and electrolyte drinks. It is best to avoid caffeinated and alcoholic drinks during your illness. They are diuretics and may worsen your symptoms.

Drink Herbal Tea

Relief from a flu-related sore throat is possible by drinking herbal teas. Green and peppermint tea is known for their medicinal properties help improve the body’s ability to fight the illness. Having three to four cups of herbal tea in a day may give an extra jolt to your body in warding off the flu bugs.

A Teaspoon of Honey

Honey has various healing properties. It helps you to stay energetic and healthy as well as provide soothing properties for a sore throat. If you have a scratchy or sore throat caused by the flu, honey can help ease and heal the discomfort. To use this flu home treatment, add one teaspoon of honey in a cup of plain hot water or in your tea. Note that honey is not recommended for infants under the age of one.

Garlic or Ginger Tea

Garlic has been known for its health benefits for generations. The content of allicin in garlic boosts your immune system and can help ease flu symptoms. Make a garlic tea by adding 2 or 3 cloves of chopped or crushed fresh garlic in hot water, stir and sip.

If the idea of drinking hot garlic tea sounds like too much, ginger has anti-viral properties and is a powerful anti-inflammatory herb that can soothe flu symptoms as well. Add some slices of fresh ginger root in a cup of hot water and drink it like a tea. Honey can also cut the bitterness and add to the benefits of this remedy.

Have Some Warm Soup

Hot vegetable or chicken soup has long been a common cold and flu remedy. Many researchers have shown the apparent benefits of eating warm soup. They explain that it can help ease upper respiratory tract infection symptoms caused by the flu. For optimal health benefits, homemade soup would be the first choice, but even store bought does the trick. If you have no stomach discomfort, adding spiciness to your soup can amp up its nurturing benefits and help with congestion.

Get Proper Rest

Adequate sleep is one of the easiest ways to reinforce your body's strength while fighting infections. If you find yourself exhausted from the daily tasks such as exercise, cleaning, cooking, or work, then you need to listen to it and take the time to rest and recover. Extra sleep and naps will encourage your system to heal faster than if you attempt to stick with your normal routine.

Breathe in Steam

To get relief from nasal congestion and dry throat, inhaling moisture loosens the mucus that blocks airways and helps rid the system of it faster. Have a steamy shower or simply sit in the bathroom and breathe in steam as you turn on a hot shower for a few minutes. You can also use a vaporizer or humidifier in your room while sleeping. A convenient way to breathe in steam is to make a tent over a pot of boiling water. By closing your eyes, you can lean your head under the tent and breathe the moisture in deeply. Adding essential oils like peppermint and eucalyptus to the shower, humidifier or pot will give the benefits an extra boost in clearing airways so you can rest more easily.

Use Throat Lozenges

A cough can last long after your other cold and flu symptoms disappear. Sucking certain herbal or menthol cough drops or hard candies containing peppermint, slippery elm, honey, etc. can work wonders in soothing sore throats and coughing fits. Lozenges numb the affected throat area. They further help ease the discomfort so you can get back to your routines in comfort.

Gargle with Salt Water

A tried and true method for relief from sore throats is gargling with salt water. Considered an important preventative measure it is very effective in keeping the respiratory tract moist and decongested. To gargle, make a solution by adding ½ teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water. Gargling with salt water 3 to 4 times a day will help ease a sore throat. It does this by reducing swelling and loosening mucus. The salt also helps flush out irritants and bacteria preventatively or to speed healing.

Nasal Flushing (Neti Pot)

Another way to relieve a congested nose and the discomfort that follows is to add ¼ of teaspoon salt in a neti pot containing a cup of warm water. Tilting the head to one side, pour the salt water solution into one nostril. Allow the solution to flow out from the other nostril, clearing air through the treated nostril and switching sides. Repeat as many times as needed to find relief. This will help flush the nasal channel of irritants and bacteria for a more comfortable rest and speedy recovery.

Final Comments

It is important to note that a virus like influenza is not treatable with antibiotics. Therefore over-the-counter medication will offer minor relief from symptoms but the body itself must take in proper nutrition, water and rest before it can heal. The above home remedies for flu symptoms have been commonly used and are known for their effectiveness. Having family members and friends around to lend a hand can emotionally comfort you and make you feel better. However, if you have severe or prolonged flu symptoms that persist even after trying these natural home remedies, you should consult a physician.This is particularly important because the body is susceptible to bacteria while experiencing a weakened immune system.

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